Farmers at Phish: CSA Summer ’12 – Week #5

This winter I bought these decorative file boxes to stash little memorabilia for Zea and the next baby. Zea’s is already filling up with random photos of her, my notes on her development, pictures she paints at preschool, etc. For the new baby I just have 2 ultrasound photographs so far. This week I’ll add the ticket stub for the Phish concert Mike and I went to this last weekend. Baby number 2 was definitely bouncing around the womb Saturday and it was a very memorable concert!

Phish is Mike’s favorite band in the world. He has loved them since he was a teenager, and he has yet to tire from listening to their music. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the band, Phish is kind of like a newer generation of the Grateful Dead. They are a jam band that got super popular in the early-mid nineties. People went on tour with them and mimicked the parking lot party atmosphere that was part of the Dead. Their dedicated fans have aged, but Phish can still fill up stadiums 20,000 strong.

While I do not share Mike’s intense passion for Phish, I do think they are an excellent band and I enjoy their music. Over the years of being with Mike, I have learned that I never want to miss a Phish show with him – even when hugely pregnant. Why? Because for 3 + hours, I get to watch my husband in a state of pure joy. It’s a beautiful thing watching someone you love feel so happy, so excited, so free. This year we lucked into front row pit tickets. We were 60 feet from the stage and had all the dancing room one could desire. Mike is a wild dancer and he just had a ball. And the show was fantastic! The musicians were just on fire. Despite the heat, lack of beer (ahh pregnancy), and sore feet – I watched the whole show. Whenever the music didn’t capture me, I just watched Mike. Unadulterated happiness.

My pregnancy did affect my show-going in that I didn’t stay for the 2nd night, which we also had tickets for. So on Sunday, I left Mike with his camping gear and a cooler at Pleasant Lake, in La Grange, Wisconsin. As I pulled away to head home and get Zea, I could see a silhouette of Mike. He was sitting in a camp chair in the shade of a White Oak. The lake stretched ahead of him, as well as the excitement of another day of partying and music. He had his shirt off, swim trunks on, and had just cracked open a Pabst. He so deserved that relaxation. The man has been working consecutive 13+ hour days (with the exception of Saturday and Sunday afternoons) for 6 weeks straight. If there isn’t going to be any rain or a break in heat, let the man have a Sunday by the water with a Pabst. It was a beautiful sight to witness.

Here’s hoping each of you enjoys some well deserved relaxation this 4th of July holiday. It’s the last of the peas this week and most likely the spinach too until the fall. The first basil is showing up, as well as the first garlic and fennel (for the Regs). You’ll be receiving a softneck garlic variety called Polish White. It’s fresh garlic, meaning its wrappers are still soft and the bulb is not fully cured. Fresh garlic is extra potent, so be mindful of that when cooking!